Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Here it is at last! Volume 2. If you remember the previous IT Cosmetics eyeshadow palettes (Reviewed here and here), they were named Vol. 1 and Celebration respectively, and I have been looking forward to a Vol. 2 ever since.
I did have my doubts about whether the shades in the Romantics palette would be too pale for me to pull off. I also wondered if the formula was the same - so many great brands have changed their eyeshadow formula for the worse.
And all those doubts have been laid to rest.

Scroll down for my review and swatches of the IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Matte Vol. 2 Romantics Eye Palette.

Like Vol. 1, this features a velour case with magnetic closure, and a mirror inside. But I prefer the vibrant colour of the Romantics palette; the original was flesh-coloured. And, the inside lining is silver, while the original was gold.

Loved the original? Go buy Romantics. You will come back and thank me. This has the same, beautiful formula. Soft, buttery, smooth eyeshadows that are a delight to swatch and apply. The same colour payoff. I had trouble with Trust - a navy blue - alone, but I think that shade is supposed to be sheer anyway, like Soft Light in Vol. 1.
Some of the soft shadows did kick up a bit of powder but only while swatching - as was the case with Volume 1; I had no problems while applying to the eyes, and I got a full day's wear out of these without problems (I always wear primer).
As is the norm for IT Cosmetics palettes, these eyeshadows also contain a host of anti-ageing ingredients such as acai berry, green tea and Vitamins A, C and E. The shades can be used wet or dry.

Shades of the of the IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Matte Vol. 2 Romantics Eye Palette

My first
thought was that the shades were too pale and pastel. And, I am not a pastel person. MUA's Pretty Pastels palette is something I had to give
away because olive skin + pastels = readymade clown.
Thankfully, I can find a use for every shade in this palette. These are soft brights and neutrals, and not proper pastels. There is dusty lilac, dusty coral and also pale taupe, dusty beige and so on. Definitely far deeper than MUA Pretty Pastels.
Peaceful, Hope and Sweetness - the first three shades in the top row - are highlighter shades for me.
My favourite shade is Enchanting, a dusty pinky-purple, followed by Desire, a pinky coral.
Tranquility - a lime-ish mint - is the only shade I need to work on. I can just about pull it off on my eyelids (I think), though it needs to be set off with smokier greens so it gives a pop right above the lashline. Watch out for a look once I get over my Fear of What People Might Think.

I agree, there are some similar shades at first glance, but on the
whole, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 are different. This is what Volume 1 looks like.

Comparison with IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Matte Volume 1

Below are swatches of the original Naturally Pretty Matte Vol. 1 palette. This is an older photo, taken in direct sunlight when I was less tanned. Lighting differences apart, you will notice that these are decidedly warm eyeshadows, with brown- and flame-hued shades.

Noir and Midnight (top right hand corner) are more intense than Trust and Mystery from the Romantics Palette. Also, All Heart and Java are browner whereas Fate and Embrace from the Romantics palette are ruddier. Soft Light is paler than Poetic. The pale highlight shades are very similar.

This is another look I did, with Poetic, Fate and Hope. In direct sunlight.

Verdict

The Romantics palette is one of my two favourite Fall 2015 palettes (The other palette is for another day). If you want to go beyond regular beige, brown and taupe neutrals, but vibrant brights and bolds are not your thing, this is the perfect in-between palette, with soft brights and neutrals.
Formula is top-notch and you have the option of transforming the shades into a pearly finish if mattes are not your thing, though Transforming Pearl lightens the shades a bit.
That said, I don't think this is a Fall palette per se. With the kind of shades, the packaging and the name "Romantics", wasn't this a better fit for Spring? Ah well.
At $42 for 15 shades, this palette is definitely worth a September/October treat for yourself. You can buy it from the IT Cosmetics website here.

Do you like soft colours such as these or do you prefer proper brights, or are you a subtle neutral person?

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